Portable antenna construction



July 22,1952 c. A TRowBRlDGE 2,604,593

* PQRTABLE ANTENNA CONSTRUCTION Filed April 28. 1949 .ffl

f il-l friction.

Patented July '22, 1952 .UNITEDVv STATES PATENrforr-IC Y l, -2,604,593 ,l y

` f *I PORTABLE ANTENNA C( )Ns'rmpr'o'rroN`` l1 Charles A. Trowbridge, Newtown, Pa., assigner, i

vby mesne vassignments, to Snyder Mfg. Co., Philadelphia, Pa.a partnership Application April 28, 1949, Serial No. 90,201

This invention relates to portable antennas for television and` radio receiving apparatus.

Portable television antenna-units of thetype referred to herein must be adjusted in a'plurality -of planes in order tov obtain properfreception on any particular channel and in order. to change from one channel to another. Specifically, it is necessary to -rotate the: antenna arms in vertical planes so that both arms of he antenna have the proper angle with respect to each other, as well as with respect'to the'horizontal. The arms themselves are telescopically extensible so that their length may be variedv in accordance with the angular position `of the arms and the channel which is being received. In the case e 4 claims. (01.250433) of a portable antenna assembly, it is also'ime A further object is to provide an improved base and hub construction for a portable television antenna, in which the antenna arms may be quickly adjusted to any desired position and positively retained therein merely by a Xed frictional mounting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a television antenna having a pair of hubs adapted to carry two antenna arms, and a split -mounting collar for the hubs so that the hubs may be rotated in the collar under predetermined A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for retaining the antenna arms in an antenna assembly of the character described, and to provide a suitable electrical connection for the arms.

, Further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing a portable television antenna constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan, partly sectioned, of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section as seen at 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the structure of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the arm supporting hubs; and

2 Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the mounting collars for the hubs.

v My antenna assembly comprises a hollow base 9 having a weight-Ill clamped inside the base .by meansv of machine screw llgnut I2, andA spring washerA I3. A pair of hubs I4 and ,I5 are supported on base 9 by means of afsplit clamping collar -I6 having an Vupper section Ilia and-a lower sectionlb. vScrew II extends diakmetricallyy -through sections I6a .andM IIb 4as shownin Fig. 3.k TheL'inner en`d`sof`hubsl4 and I5 have radially extending flanges. 'Illa'l and I5a which fare retainedfin an annular rolled groove'on collar sections 16a and,I6b'so that hubs Ill and I5 are rotatable incollar vIIi about a, horizontal axis. y `The frictional engagement between the collar and the hubs is adjusted' by means of nut I2 to such adegree that the, hubs can be readily rotatedin the collarbut retained in any desired radial position with respect thereto without further manipulation.

The outer portions of hubs I4 and I5 carry antenna arms II and I8 which may be of conventional construction and which are provided with telescoping sections I'Ia, IIb, and I 8a., Ib respectively. The arms I1 and I8 are retained in hubs I4 and I5 by means of. screw eyes I9 and 20 which also serve as the electrical connections to the arms. Hubs I4 and I5 are made of electrically non-conductive material and have substantially tapering bores 2| and 22. With the arms I'I and I8 inserted through screw eyes I9 and 20, they are held securely in place by tightening nuts 23 and 24 against washers 25 and V26 which jam in the bores 2i and 22 of the hubs. The electrical connection to each arm I1 and I8 is made through leads 2'I and 28, securely clamped between nuts 23 and 24 and washers 25 and 26. Leads 2'I and 28 are carried through a slot 29 in lower collar IIb from whence they are attached to the receiving instrument. For the sake of appearance, upper collar I6a is countersunk to accommodate the oval head ofscrew II.

The large base of hubs I4 and I5 and the ample clearance inside collar I6 permit rotation of hubs I4 and I5 through an arp of 180 without danger of chang the electrical connections to the arms.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided an extremely simple mounting for a portable television antenna which enables the antenna arms to be turned in any desired relative position and retained in that position. The electrical ccnnections to the arms are foolproof and so designed to insure proper connection over long 3 periods of use. The entire assembly, including the 'electrical terminals, is held together by only three nuts which require no adjustment in operation. Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A radio antenna assembly comprising a base member, av split collar rigidly attached to and supported on said base member, a hub frictionally and rotatably clamped in each end of said collar, an antenna arm rigidly mounted in each of said hubs, and means for clamping the colfv lar and hubs to the base member to provide predetermined clamping tension between the collar and the hubs. y

2. A portable antenna assembly comprising a base member, a split collar rigidly attached to and supported on said base member having a pair of annular grooves at each end thereof, a pair of hollow hub members partially enclosed by said collar, an annular flange around the inner terminus of each hub member, said flanges positioned to have rotatable frictional movement in the grooves, and clamping means extending diametrically through the collar to the` base member, whereby the collar and both hubs are secured to thebase. y

3. A portable antenna assembly comprising a base member, a pair of hollow hub members Y Y supported onsaid base `'member walls defining a lbore in each hub Vmember, an annular ange around the innerterminus of each of said hub members, a' split collar having a pair ofl annular grooves to clear said annular ilanges, clamping means extending diametrically through said colarms are inserted, a washer positioned to seat in the bore of each hub member and through which the screw eye extends, an electrical lead connected to each screw eye, and a nut on each screw eye to clamp each arm in its associated hub and to clamp the electrical connection to the washer.

4. A portable antenna assembly comprising a base member, a pair of hub members having tapered bores supported on said base member, an annular flange around the inner terminus of each of said hub members, a split collar having a pair of annular grooves to clamp said annular anges, clamping means extending diametrically through said collar to the base, whereby both hubs are rotatably clamped in the collar and the collar and hubs are clamped to the base, an antenna arm mounted in each of said hub members, a screw eye in the bore of the hub members through which the arms are inserted, a washer positioned to jam in the tapered bore of each hub member and through which the screw eye extends,.an electrical lead connected to each screw eye, and a nut on each screw eye to clamp each arm in its vassociated hub and to clamp the electrical connection'to the washer.A Y

Number Name D. 155,113 vTrebules Sept. 6, 1949 1,232,473 Anderson 1 July 10, 1917 2,259,628

Fener Oct. 21.V Y1941 

